Bowel cancer is rising in young Australians, and doctors say TikTok and AI could be part of the problem.

More people are turning to social media and AI tools for answers about symptoms, prevention and “gut health” – instead of going to a doctor.

Experts warn this is fuelling a new “Dr Google 2.0”, where influencers and algorithms shape how people interpret serious warning signs.

From “gut hacks” to AI-generated advice, symptoms like bloating and fatigue are increasingly being brushed off as lifestyle issues – delaying diagnoses.

Today, we break down what’s driving the shift, and why it could be putting lives at risk.

Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, develops when abnormal cells in the bowel grow and turn cancerous over time. 

It often starts as harmless growths, but it can spread to other parts of the body if left untreated.

Risk is linked to lifestyle factors like diet, weight, inactivity, alcohol and drug use – although up to a third of cases are linked to a hereditary contribution (but only 5-10% of cases are directly caused by inherited genetic mutations).

The median diagnosis age is 68, with cases under 50 classified as “early-onset”.

But that’s what’s worrying experts.

University of Sydney bowel cancer researcher Professor Mark Molloy said the rise in younger patients is “disturbing”, and still not fully understood. 

“The rate is increasing quite a lot compared to historical norms and as a research and medical community we don’t really have solid evidence as to why this is the case,” he said. 

“But it is certainly occurring, and there are hypotheses around why this might be happening.”

Possible explanations include modern diets, increased antibiotic use in childhood, and rising caesarean births – all of which may be altering the gut microbiome (the community of organisms that live in the gut).

Natalie Hunter was 46 when she brushed off her symptoms – then came a bowel cancer diagnosis.

“I had this constant pain in my stomach…  the pain was getting worse and worse, and then I actually couldn't go to the toilet for about five days,” the mother of two said.

“It wasn’t until my stools started to thin that I thought, okay, something’s really going on.” 

Hunter said she repeatedly raised her concerns, but was dismissed and misdiagnosed as her condition worsened. 

“I just kept getting turned away… ‘you’re constipated’… just excuses,” she said.

It wasn’t until she suffered a full bowel blockage that she was rushed to hospital and finally diagnosed.

Bowel cancer, she said, wasn’t even on her radar.

“It felt unheard of for younger people. Even in the ambulance, I thought it was something minor.”

By then, the cancer had already spread to her liver, lymph nodes and, more recently, her lung.

She describes the experience as “an absolute whirlwind” and has a clear message for others: “If in doubt, absolutely check it out.”

As bowel cancer rises among young people, there has also been a surge in health advice on social media.

From TikTok “gut hacks” to AI-generated tips, much of it is packaged as quick, confident solutions – but experts warn it can be misleading.

University of Sydney School of Public Health Professor Kirsten McCaffery said a growing share of this content is “now commercial in some way”.

She also warns content from non-experts can offer false reassurance and be highly persuasive.

“It's a worry because it means the content is driven by financial motives so is inherently biased towards selling a product… and it’s not always obvious, which makes it easy to be misled,” she said.

When influencers share emotional personal stories, their followers form a parasocial relationship with them. “Audiences feel they have come to closely know the influencer and so are more easily guided,” McCaffery explained.

Dr Brittany Ferdinands, University of Sydney digital content creation lecturer, said “gut health” has taken off online because it's “a clear, actionable message”. 

“Preventative health and wellness content fits perfectly into this system because it is highly shareable, often aspirational, and easily packaged into short, digestible formats,” she said. 

“However, this also means it tends to be simplified, individualised, and sometimes exaggerated. 

“Complex, evidence-based health information is often flattened into ‘quick wins’ or lifestyle hacks because that’s what performs well.”

She said monetisation adds another layer of distortion, particularly when health advice is tied to products or personal brands.

“When wellness is tied to products, programs, or personal brands, there is incentive to frame health as something that can be optimised or controlled through consumption,” she said.

“This can distort prevention into something that feels immediate, actionable, and purchasable, rather than something grounded in long-term, evidence-based care.”

Dr Ferdinands said influencers are also persuasive because they don’t rely on expertise, but on relatability and identity.

“For younger audiences in particular, trust is often built through consistency, personality, and shared identity, not credentials,” she said.

“Seeing someone’s body, routine, or transformation creates a kind of visual evidence that feels convincing, even if it’s not scientifically valid. 

“Combined with algorithmic repetition, this can create a sense of familiarity that gets mistaken for credibility.”

That concern is echoed across the medical community, where experts say the biggest risk is misinformation delaying diagnosis.

Professor Molloy, a bowel cancer expert from the University of Sydney said many people are being “falsely persuaded” by simplified versions of complex health advice.

“It tells you nothing about your genetics, how they interplay with other lifestyle factors that are specific to you as an individual,” he said.

“You are relying on claims from people with no knowledge and it’s not grounded in any truth.”

He said the key message for young people is simple: don’t ignore symptoms, warning that delays can have serious consequences.

“Bowel cancer, in particular, has very successful treatment outcomes when caught early. So, for young people, the message has to be listen to your body, and react to the symptoms,” he said.

While Professor Molloy acknowledges young people will continue to use social media and AI tools, he said they must not replace medical advice.

“It’s a brave new world… [young people are] going to use those resources, there's no doubt about that,” he said. 

“But an AI chatbot or whatever's not going to be able to diagnose your disease situation. You're going to have to have it investigated at some point.”

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